Sec. 154.0561.  PROCEDURES FOR EXPERT PHYSICIAN REVIEW.  (a)  A physician on the expert physician panel authorized by Section 154.056(e) who is selected to review a complaint shall:
(1)  determine whether the physician who is the subject of the complaint has violated the standard of care applicable to the circumstances; and
(2)  issue a preliminary written report of that determination.
(b)  A second expert physician reviewer shall review the first physician's preliminary report and other information associated with the complaint.  If the second expert physician agrees with the first expert physician, the first physician shall issue a final written report on the matter.
(c)  If the second expert physician does not agree with the conclusions of the first expert physician, a third expert physician reviewer shall review the preliminary report and information and decide between the conclusions reached by the first two expert physicians.  The final written report shall be issued by the third physician or the physician with whom the third physician concurs.
(d)  In reviewing a complaint, the expert physician reviewers assigned to examine the complaint may consult and communicate with each other about the complaint in formulating their opinions and reports.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 269 (S.B. 419), Sec. 1.18, eff. September 1, 2005.